Studio Show and Tell (I always loved show and tell)

Please excuse the mess! My creative sensibilities are neither minimal nor organized. However, Gretchen asked me to post pictures of the studio, so here they are. The area I use is a sun room. The boxes in the back ground ARE NOT MINE (hint, hint, Uncle Sam... come get your stuff!!). I have my desk over to the right, and most of my art stuff to the left. There's also a wood burning stove which I hope to utilize in the winter time. I envision myself staying nice an toasty when the cool weather creeps in, and if one of my artworks is absolutely despicable... I'll throw it to the flames. It will be devastatingly dramatic. There's always something to look forward to around here.

I'm working with acrylic paints right now, which are not my fav, but apparently the turpentine I'd use to thin my oils will kill the bacteria in the septic tank. The bacteria (in this case) are our friends. I have a rule... never kill a friend who makes your life less stinky. So, my plan is to use up all of my acrylics and devise a safe plan for discarding my artistic waist in the mean time. Suggestions are welcome.

Seeking Perfection & Internet Connection

Internet is down at the ranch. The repairman speculates a mouse is to blame, but the beat he can say is that the problem is between here and town. Good luck with that one, buddy. All that to say that this post will be short.

Here's what I worked on yesterday. It may or may not be part of a collage painting. It is supposed to represent societies ideas of perfection. What I'm thinking about is how those ideals might limit our decisions in life & keep us from pursuing our true purpose. So, really this is only a part of the eventual whole.

So, what I want to know is... If you could do anything in the whole wide world, no limitations or pressure to meet another's idea of perfection, what would it be?

Messed up Mouth

I have been in Dallas for the past few days due to gum graft surgery. This is a "do-over," if you will. I had the same procedure done over spring break, but the tissue didn't take as the doctor hoped it would... thus, here I am. Round 2. The experience has been much better this time and I think I'll be heading back home on Thursday. I thought about taking a picture of the graft, but honestly... it's a bit gross. I don't want to unwillingly subject anyone to that.

Here are some projects I plan to start on when I get home:
1. Wire trees with yarn foliage. (I have a huge tub of yarn that I inherited from Merce)
2. Spray painting (I'm going to practice on large pieces of scrap wood and the side of the wood shop if Peeps will let me)
3. Painting a phrase on the shop roof. (I think it would be hilarious to paint random sayings up there so the planes flying around can see it).
4. More flower paintings (except these will be mixed media where I paint on loose canvas, cut it up, and use the scraps to construct 3D flowers on a stretched canvas.)

New Stuff

My studio area is in order (by my standards). There are still several things I'd like to have and have removed from the room, but it's a great starter space. I've been racking my brain... trying to get my thoughts organized so that I can actually produce something. That can be challenging when there are virtually NO limitations. It's a bit overwhelming and I think that is one of the devils favorite tools against me. It may sound funny, but I'm going to have to pray everyday that God will keep me focused and that he will suppress the critical voice that satan uses to make me unproductive. I'm telling you... for me, this is major spiritual warfare. By all means... PRAY FOR ME!!

Here are a few things I've been working on. 2 are collages from my sketchbook. I'd like to reproduce these as large scale paintings/murals using spray paint and acrylic paint. I'm going to have to gain some spray painting skills, but I don't foresee that taking me very long. The more I think about it, I'll probably be well suited to spray painting. It is quick... and I'm all about quick production. Plus, I'd like these paintings to be appealing to non artist types, and people are often less threatened by spray paint b/c it's not 'high art'.

The painting is for Lauren. I often come back to this flower motif in which I always include a geometric form. The best I can explain is that it represents geometric vs organic. The need for both structure and chaos. The desire for structure while longing to be free. Deep, huh? I scare myself sometimes.

Love you all!

EVERYONE has stopped blogging? What gives?

I am officially a resident of a small Texas farm town, population 2000 or so. I won't name the city for privacy reasons. This is the world wide web after all (and I wouldn't want to tip off the paparazzi), but most of you know where it is I have relocated to. All of the belongings are finally in their new place. There's still decorating to be done, but for now I am satisfied.

I have been without internet up to this point and it really hasn't been too bad, probably because I just acquired an iphone. Once again I am connected to a vast array of knowledge, some good, some bad, some productive and some highly destructive. I'll admit, life seems purer without it... and yet, here I am! What a paradox.

So here's my Top 10 list for REASONS ONE SHOULD LIVE IN SMALL TOWN, TX USA:

10) It's so quite you can hear your nose whistle
9) Fresh air
8) Fashion is not a high priority
7) There are guys like gary who tells jokes no one understands and his excuse is that he's "part retarded"
6) For at least a little while you're the mysterious new kid
5) It's quite possible to know EVERY person in town
4) No crazy nightly local news describing drug busts and murders
3) Everybody does the wave as they drive down the street
2) 12 year olds driving trucks around town
1) Restaurants called "Country Pickins" where they have fabulous beans and a stack of VHS tapes in the corner for no apparent reason.

AFI Dallas

I had a first today. My friend and I attended a movie as part of the AFI Dallas film festival. Each year that I've lived in Dallas the opportunity to attend has been missed, until now. This year I was determined to take advantage of the local opportunity. What's the point of living in the land of cement if you don't capitalize on it's high points?

At about 11am we set out to pick up vouchers I had purchased earlier this week online. It dawned on me this morning that we might have to get our butts in gear on the ticket situation, or we might not get to see some of the movies that were on our list. Sure enough, the movie I wanted to see was tagged "close off" online. Unfortunately, I had no idea what that term meant, but it sounded bad.

After driving downtown to Victory Park, hunting for a parking place, digging around for loose change to pay the meter, and battling our way through the crazy wind tunnel created by the tall buildings (did I mention the small children who were clinging to their parents to avoid being swept away by the strong gusts?), we finally located the box office where a nice, somewhat unorganized man, proceeded to explain the process for getting into the movie. He was able to change some of our vouchers into tickets, but the others will have to be exchanged in a "rush line", which is a whole other situation we dealt with later in the afternoon.

Tickets and vouchers in hand we set off for the movie theater hoping to get into a movie titled "Whatever it Takes." I drove us to Mockingbird Station where the nice box office clerk looked at me cross-eyed when I asked her for thickets to the 1 o'clock showing of the movie. We were at the wrong theater (go figure). She said we need to go to North Park Mall and that we probably had no chance of getting tickets in the rush line because she had stood in line for a movie the night before with no success. So, with Negative Nancy's advice in hand, we proceeded a few exits North on 75 and made it to the theater about an hour before the start of the movie. We stood in line the entire time wondering if our waiting would be in vain.

I am happy to say the hand of God granted us entrance to the movie. It was a great movie. Following the first year of a new school in the South Bronx the movie documented, with great honesty, the struggles individuals face in the public education system. After the movie the director was on hand for Q&A. It was really cool to hear his insights. When asked about distribution of the film he stated that parents and preservice teachers are their target audience. They want parents to see that there are people offering quality education out there. The film offers preservice teachers the opportunity to see some of the issues they might face in what I'm convinced is one of the most challenging careers on the planet.

I truly believe that God is raising up a generation of people who are using their gifts and talents to openly spread Truth. The director and the main character, the principal, are both followers of Christ. The movie flashes back in the principal's personal history to reveal how God changed his life plan and career path from the pursuit of a high-profile job with Saks to a life-long commitment to educating youth who are underprivileged. It was a powerful, though not perfect, story.

All this to say, despite the run around and standing in line, my expectations for the film festival were not let down. Who knew I would have an overtly spiritual experience at AFI Dallas? God works in a amazing ways.

Isaiah 55

Haven't blogged in a while, so here's where I'm at....

Come, all who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fair.
Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
See, I have made him a whitness to the peoples,
a leader and a commander of the peoples.
Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations that do not know you will hasten to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor."

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Let wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have
mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

For my thoughts are not you thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
withough watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread
for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the paine tree,
and instead of the briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord's renoun,
for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed.